Lending an Understanding Ear to Listen
by Flight-of-Hawks
Summary: I wrote this one-shot for a contest on dA so I would like to share this here for other people to read. Note: This ties in with the headcanon for my stories I have plan, including: all six Wardens from the six origins, and having three Hawke's instead of one. And if I did make mistakes such as grammar, let me know. I hope to better myself as a writer. Disclaimer:


Clang! Cling! Carver hits his iron greatsword blade against his older brother, Lycan's, own iron greatsword, sparring in the training quarters outside in the ruins of Ostagar. Carver, along with his older brother, Lycan, and older sister, Felicia, are soldiers of Third Company, lead by captain Varel among King Cailan's army.

Lycan taunts his younger brother with aggressive vigor in his voice, as his greatsword hit against Carver's right shoulder-guard, staggering him from the heavy force, "Come on, Carver, I know you can do better than that puppy hit!" The warrior took enjoyment seeing his younger sibling looking so determined to prove himself.

Carver took several steps back of at least seven feet, standing his ground and charged at his older brother with all his might. He grasped his greatsword flat against his muscular chest in steel-plated armor to absorb the impact. Lycan was as still as a boulder, ready to counter Carver by side-stepping to the right and then grabbing Carver to knock him to the earthy dirt they're standing on.

Before Lycan could commence his counter, a brown, furry blur tackles Carver to the ground, letting go of the greatsword as the young warrior tumbles to the ground from the strong force. Carver was annoyed to see the being that interupted the sparring was a large, happy mabari dog barking and jumping in victory. Lycan chuckled loudly out of his younger brother's expense.

"Ah ha ha! That mabari got the better... paw out of you, brother!" Lycan grinned and walked to Carver side to help him to his feet.

Carver found it more annoying than funny, "Yeah, yeah... *looks at the mabari* Who does that hound belong to anyway?"

"How do you like my very own mabari?! I named him Falcon!" A female voice called out. The cheerful voice belonged to their sister, Felicia Hawke, who was also Lycan's triplet sister. Their elder triplet sister, Crystal, was a mage who lives with their mother and younger twin sister, Bethany, back in their home village of Lothering. Felicia wore a light studded leather armor set, equipped with a short bow and a quiver of arrows. And a mostly jolly disposition.

The strong mabari then pounces on Carver's chest, pushing him to the ground, and proceeded to lick his entire face in wet, sticky slobber.

Carver pushes Falcon off him as he spits out the foul-tasting drool and says un-enthusiastically as he got up again, "He is quite a... charmer. I can see that he takes a lot after you, sister... And has Lycan's strength... great." He rolled his blue eyes.

Lycan chuckled some, "Aww. Don't be so sore, Carver, you were just caught by surprise. Even I didn't expect it." He pats his younger brother's back, "How about you go clean yourself off and we can spar again."

Felicia giggled a bit, oblivious to Carver's discontent, "I'm glad you agree, lil' bro! Falcon here imprinted on me quickly, and he's only a year old so he still has some puppy-play in him." She coos at Falcon and pets him, "Isn't that right, Falcon?" The mabari barked happily and jumped around in circles, wagging his stubby tail.

"I'll go do just that, Lycan." Carver picks up a long rag, glad to get some peace to himself, though it be temporary.

After he bathed in the bathing stalls and dressed back in his medium plated armor, he ventures to where the Grey Wardens were stationed inside the main area of the fortress. He sees that there weren't that many wardens up an about, he surmised that only about a hundred were around Ostagar, but wasn't too sure. "Not that many Wardens here? Surely they would have more than what I'm seeing." Carver said, talking to himself aloud.

Hearing the young soldiers words caught the attention of one young particular Grey Warden, Alistair. The warden in split-mail walks up to Carver, making the young soldier turn to see him from hearing the clinging sound of his armor. Alistair smiled and greets him, "I'm sorry that they're aren't that many of us here, soldier. Our Warden-Commander, Duncan, set out to look for some more recruits about some weeks ago, and I don't exactly know when he'll return with any. I hope it's soon though."

Carver couldn't believe that an actual Grey Warden was talking to him - in the flesh. He has read stories of the wardens being solemn, stoic, and air of being above anyone else. Carver didn't expect the young warden in front of him to be none of those things. The young soldier guessed in his head -and by the wardens appearance- that he must not have been in the Order for very long.

All Carver could say was, "I see. Have you been the Order for awhile, my good man?"

Alistair chuckled a bit, "I've only been a Grey Warden for the past six-months, actually. And you can call me Alistair. What's your name?" Alistair extends his hand for a handshake from him.

Carver smiled slightly and shakes Alistair's hand, feeling he could trust him, "Hawke. Carver Hawke to be exact. Me and my older siblings are part of Third Company in the King's army."

"Your siblings are here too? It's good to have good capable people who you can depend on."

Carver frowned a bit and his eyes moved away from Alistair, not too enthusiastic about having his older siblings with him to get overshadowed by them, because they are better fighters than he could ever be, in his eyes.

The Grey Warden notices and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Carver? Something I said? If I did offend you, then I'm sorry. You can punch me to make you feel better if you like. Just not the face though." Alistair joked.

"No, no. It wasn't you, Alistair. I'm just thinking of my family and my place in the world..." Carver slipped his tongue, revealing that personal tidbit to a stranger, of which he didn't mean.

Alistair, from hearing Carver's plight, could relate to him in a way. He thinks maybe the two can talk about it, "Do you want to talk about your problem? I'm willing to listen to whatever you want to talk about."

"No... I'm sorry. It's a personal matter I have against my older triplet siblings: Lycan, Felicia, and Crystal." Carver leans against a ruined pillar, "I don't know, but if talking about this will make me feel better, then I'll sate your curiosity, Alistair."

"It's alright. You don't have to push yourself to talk about this; I never had siblings to deal with..." The Warden withholds his royal heritage from Carver, just as Carver himself hides his older and younger sisters magic from Alistair, "

Carver lightened up a bit and chuckled, "You're lucky! You never had to put up with older siblings messing with you, quarrels, them being better than you in every way, and being stuck in their great big shadow..." He begins to feel saddened, "My parents seemed to always pay attention to them than me and my sister - especially my father giving them the most attention. When my father passed away, three years ago, he left my older siblings in charge of the family."

Alistair solemnly looks at Carver, "I'm sorry for your loss... Although, when I did mention not having siblings, that's not entirely true with me. We Grey Wardens see each other as brothers and sisters in arms against the darkspawn and the Blight that threatens Thedas. I have interacted with some of the most colorful people I've ever met in my short time in the Order, and I would protect them with my life. And what you said about your siblings being better than you, there's always going to be someone who is better in one way or another, like there could be someone out there better than your siblings. Everyone is strong in one area or another. You are strong in your own right, as am I" His demeanor becomes more positive, "My advice to give you is this: enjoy the siblings that are with you now, you may never experience those good moments you have with them again in the future." Alistair places his hand on Carver's shoulder, "And in these dark times, we need the togetherness of those we cherish to keep going and fight to the bitter end."

After hearing this, coming from a young man of a prestigious rank such as a Grey Warden, this invokes confidence within Carver. The young soldier definitely felt better from sharing his troubles with a person who can relate to him in a way, though being different in many ways - physically, mentally, and personal history to name a few. Carver then had an idea: if he could address this problem he's been keeping to his older siblings attention, then maybe they would treat him better.

Suddenly, Alistair and Carver hear footsteps and turn to see a male elven messenger, carrying a rucksack full of official letters and packages and making haste to make it in time. The elf, Pick, stops dead in his tracks right in front of Alistair as he catches his breath.

Alistair chuckled a bit and pats the elf on his back, making Pick flinch a little, "Easy there, little guy. The world hasn't ended... yet."

Pick caught his breath and apologizes, handing Alistair a letter from Duncan himself, "I'm sorry to disturb you, Grey Warden, but your Commander of the Grey, Duncan, has requested me to give you that letter. It's important that you read it."

Alistair wasted no time opening the parchment in black ink letters. He hoped nothing bad had happened to Duncan while on his journey. To his relief, it was great news: Duncan is unharmed and that he had found six eligible recruits to join the Grey Wardens - with the addition of a mabari dog and a black wolf. Alistair smiled and thanked the elf for such great news. Pick then mentioned that Duncan and the recruits will arrive tomorrow afternoon and asked Alistair to make preparations.

Carver smiled and asks Alistair, "Good news I take it, Alistair?"

"Yes. Duncan is coming back tomorrow with six recruits."

The young soldier wasn't that much impressed that the Commander of the Grey was bringing back such a small amount of recruits. He raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms "Only six? Why just six and not a whole bunch of able fighters?"

Alistair clarifies, "Well, Duncan usually doesn't recruit many at once. That would be just overwhelming. Usually only two or three at a time get recruited. Remember, the Grey Wardens recruit those who are worthy, no matter the background history. I have faith in Duncan of the people he personally choose to join our cause." He smiled a genuine smile as he bids farewell to Carver, "It has been nice chatting with you and all, but I have other duties to attend to before Duncan arrives tomorrow. And I'm sure you're siblings are waiting for you."

"Right. I hope we speak again, friend. It was an honor to have spoken with a Grey Warden such as yourself." Carver shakes his hand Alistair's.

"Thank you, but you don't have to view me so highly; I'll end up falling." Alistair chuckled. Carver laughed with him, getting the joke.

Carver made it back to the training site where Lycan, Felicia, and Falcon were talking and leaning against a nearby tree. The three were happy that Carver had returned, but notice that there younger brother was walking straighter with an air of new found confidence and purpose in his life, as he goes to confess his harbored resentment to his older siblings in hopes that they would understand him.


End file.
